Droga Raia ordered to pay R$ 4 million for workplace harassment

The Regional Labor Court of the 1st Region has ordered Droga Raia to pay R$ 4 million in collective moral damages. The ruling follows findings by the Labor Public Prosecutor's Office of Rio de Janeiro regarding instances of moral, sexual, and maternal harassment, as well as discriminatory practices.

The court determined that the company must update its Risk Management Program (PGR) and Occupational Health Medical Control Program across all units. The current PGR was found to focus excessively on physical, chemical, and biological agents while failing to adequately address mental health, harassment, and discrimination. Additionally, the company lacked structured worker consultations and effective internal reporting channels.

Droga Raia had argued that the postponement of certain NR-1 regulatory provisions exempted them from including psychosocial risks in their programs. However, the court rejected this, citing the Brazilian Constitution's mandate to reduce inherent workplace risks. This decision remains distinct from a Supreme Federal Court ruling that suspended certain administrative sanctions related to these requirements for 90 days to allow for government and employer conciliation.